NationStates Jolt Archive

The closest world in Lord Atum's domain to Earth was relatively unimportant, a naquadah mine that was largely dried up now, and served little purpose but for being a staging point for his forces. The planet was unprofitable, its hundred thousand peasants barely scratching a living by subsistence farming in small settlements scattered around the equatorial desert region that was home to the stargate and the abandoned mines.

Now however, those abandoned mines were home to an increased contingent of the Horus Guard that were one of the most recognisable symbols of Lord Atum's might. In no small part, these were there to guard the 'Ibis' Jaffa that were the technicians of Lord Thoth, the foremost researcher in service to Atum.

Thoth himself, meanwhile, had taken up residence in a specially built pavilion on the top of the rise that housed the former mines, heavily guarded of course, and overlooking the stargate on that planet. Heavy weapons, including a rare device called a nek'sed, a powerful weapon that had its own naquadah generator to power it, it had been known to cause stargates it was fired at to malfunction quite severely, were pointed at the stargate. It was safe to say that Thoth was not inclined to take risks with his personal security.

The valley that housed the main entrance to the mines was now home to two large white ships, Al'kesh midrange bombers, specially modified to carry the exceedingly rare cloaking devices, usually used on smaller and unarmed scout vessels only. However, only Al'kesh were truly suitable for the mission in mind.

Almost seven years ago now, the group they were going to investigate had sent an assassin to slay Atum, with a form of success, and thus it was time for repayment. The two Al'kesh were being loaded with food, provisions for the week long trip each way, for twenty men on the way, and no less than fifty extra per ship on the return journey.

As well as which, there were numerous other things, cases of the substance Nish'ta, an inhaled chemical that made its victims extremely susceptible to suggestion, racks of 'intar' staff weapons, which disabled a victim without doing permanent damage, and a number of brutal devices along the lines of chains and shackles.

The exact nautre of what Thoth was planning was of course, obvious from these pieces of equipment, but even so, it became more obvious when one learnt of who the tall, slender goa'uld scientist was talking to in the pavillion.

Two ashraks, assassins and hunters of the highest calibre sworn to the service of the System Lords, stood, and Thoth continued elaborating on their instructions. "Rumour has it that these creatures are dependant upon some substance, so we will be aiming to procure some of that for analysis. We will see if we cannot either synthesise it, or replace it with something akin to Rashna. For that purpose each ship will additionally carry a pair of my jaffa trained in basic chemical analysis, but the command of the mission is of course yours.

"Further, while we aren't equipping your ships with sarcophagi, a level of cryogenic suspension is available should any of your prisoners die of organ failure.

"I think that about covers it... I've been looking into certain nanotechnology for some experiments on them, but in the near future that's not possible. Good hunting gentlemen..."

A scant hour later, the two Al'Kesh were embarked towards their destination of Giltheran…

The Ashrak known as Hinkon stalked through the lead Al'kesh bomber, watching with satisfaction as Thoth's agents were busy erecting a mesh cage, welding it very carefully into place. It was enough to hold fifty people. Or rather, that was what the specifications on a nearby panel said. Hinkon would have said it was impossible, but his genetic memory had long experience of packing vast amounts of 'cattle' into tiny spaces, and he knew that it would be quite possible. If far from comfortable, or indeed, clean, given the lack of the Ibis Jaffa installing adequate... waste disposal.

He wrinkled his nose in distaste, and set himself the less onerous task of looking over the assorted pieces of equipment he would be busy using on the planet. Most useful was one of the exceedingly rare personal cloaking devices that Thoth had provided, though Hinkon didn't know it, these were vaguely similar in effects to a rather common spell used at their destination, known as greater invisibility though, fortunately for him, the device was able to sustain its effects far longer, for many days indeed. Not that he knew it, but spells of a similar form existed there to counter the effect too.

Hinkon snapped it into place in a light suit of leather-ish armour with quite some satisfaction, holding his hand up in front of him, and marvelling slightly as it flickered out and became invisible. He switched the device off again smugly, and picked up a helmet designed to allow him to see himself when so concealed. Turning it on again, he was satisfied by the display the heads up module showed, of his hand slightly off colour, a deep shade of blue, distorted by visual effects needed to cut through invisibility. He slowly slipped his hand into a snug golden glove that sported a ribbon winding its way down his arm. A dull red jewel about an inch and a half across set into the palm of the glove glowed for a moment. Satisfied, he picked out another weapon, called a zat'nik'tel, a curved handgun made of a blue white metal, abstractly styled to resemble a cobra when it stuck.

He managed to find an appropriate holster on the armoured suit he wore, and slipped it in, deactivating the personal cloaking device, flickering back into the vision of the others around him. He surveyed the jaffa fitting leg manacles to the cage, which had carefully been insulated from the floor, for reasons that caused a slight smile from the sadistic hunter.

Returning to the forward control room, Hinkon took the command seat, looking at the lead Horus Guard. "We now approach the planet," the jaffa said, and Hinkon nodded.

"Good, we will drop out of hyperspace at the edge of the system," the Ashrak said, manipulating the controls, "that way we will hopefully limit our chances of detection."

He carried on for a moment, "We will cloak immediately upon exiting hyperspace, one hour's travel time from the planet," he added, "then we shall seek an appropriate landing area..."

On Giltheran events where pretty much proceding as they always did, no hint of the coming troubles had yet arrived although Githras' Reverie turned far darker, as through something was screaming at him. later when the coming storm passed he would come to recognise one of the powers of his Moonblade, but this was the first time it had screamed at him in such a way, and so he did not heed the warning.

Giltheran High Orbit.

Dragon-Class Spelljammer, Soul of Light

Commander:- Admiral Glorin Semarin of the House Leuthistar

'Report Clear sky's no sign of activity. The Second Wing suffered some light damage nothing serious, requesting time in docks for basic repairs. The First Wing to move forward in the roster and replace them. Other than that everything proceeds as normal.... Report ends.'

Ten minutes later the sendings where complete... it was bad fortune that this meant that when the Jaffa fleet arrived the first wing would have been on patrol a week longer than usual, and minds would be tired, mages drained, in short they would be at less than optimal performance.

A white-blue sheet of energy like glassy sea-foam formed for an instant above the target, and the twin trapezoidal shapes of the bombers darted forward, dissapearing after a few moments as their crews activated the cloaking devices of the two ships. Aboard the lead Al'kesh, Hinkon looked at a wide holographic display. There were numerous islands to choose from, and he selected a large lightly wooded island.

Thankfully, for the goa'uld at least, their sensors were powerful enough to locate settlements of humanoids, and the wide clearing they settled down in was well away from anyone likely to notice them, but within a few hours walking distance of several suitably large groups.

The two invisible craft swept down in tandem, hunting for a spot to land. Eventually, selecting a clearing, they settled down, creating twin depressions in the grass and soil. Hinkon again checked his personal cloaking device, and stepped out of the airlock of the vessel. It opened with the loud and distinctive noise of metal sliding across metal, apparently a doorway in thin air. Quickly, it closed behind him, and he looked around for his backup. Sure enough, he could see the blurry figure of another cloaked Ashrak, and walked over to him.

The two goa'uld started off towards one of the settlements their sensors had picked up. They were good woodsmen by most standards, with thousands of years experience of sneaking around between them...

...Though on that particular island, that wasn't exactly exceptional.

The 'Settlement' in question was one of two Lodges, established early on in Giltheran's history it was dedicated to the training of the Elite of the Tel'Quessir Military. Bladesingers, although fortunatly for the invaders the training of such warriors took decades and those that actually rose to such rank where vitally needed elsewhere. The Lodge therefore was made up of experts in the various aspects that made up the Bladesinger, Bards, Mages, Weapon-Masters, Trackers, Philosophers and of course Students. Only one Bladesinger was in residence, the Master of the Lodge and old companion of the King.

At that moment a class was out in the field it was Exam time, the test was simple find the instructor, or evade him. This led to around Fifteen young Tel'Quessir searching the woods for one old elf, and missing him terribly. This was the first time they had taken the test, so for no one had passed the test first time, it was deliberatly hard, to weed out those not commited to the lessons ahead. Many of the class where expected to leave after this test, it was not unheard of for an entire class to depart at this point, this was not seen as a failure.

As it was then many of the fifteen passed the tracks of the Ashraks and never suspected their passing, later however the older Tel'Quessir passed the same way hunting the soon to be caught students... and stopped.

Three members of the year had passed this way, but two others had gone towards the Lodge, two very different people, more skilled than his young charges for a start, and heavier in foot, something was amiss....

Quickly he changed course, the test was over, intruders where approaching the Lodge.

The actual Lodge itself was a large structure, surronded by other smaller buildings in various states of repair, unusually some of the buildings seemed deliberatly ruined, holes in the roof where a little too exactly spread. In open ground Students sparred with each other wielding a mix of weapons although the sword was the most common.

In other clearings the fizzle of a spell could be heard as students attempted to master the art of magic. From the Large central structure music joined the mix, and before a statue placed in a clearing weary Elves rested between classes.

There seemed to be a near endless number of patrolling locals, and they had to duck out of the way as surreptitiously as possible many times. Hinkon thought that one of the locals had detected him, but apparently not. Filled with pride, he decided that they were probably not likely to find him at all.

The pair of hunters crept up as near the Lodge as they dared, and crouched down, one taking a long glance at the buildings. He turned to his companion. This was hardly promising, they had to be in and out with as little struggle as possible, and the amount of armed elves was far from a good omen.

Hinkon took another look around the clearing, and shook his head. This was indeed not a desirable target. He only hoped that the other settlements were not as well fortified. It would be typically poor luck to have landed in the middle of a large number of military encampments.

Maybe these people didn’t even have civilians. That flight of fancy was soon washed away by the lack of agriculture around the lodge, but it came back in full force when he considered the abundant hunting around the encampment. This could well turn into an utter fiasco.

He stood, and turned around to look at his companion, and promptly started in surprise as his self-confidence suddenly seemed misplaced.

The Old Elf was not unaware of the concept of becoming invisible, no Tel'Quessir who spent anytime in the woods ever was, for a start the Fay liked to prank fellow travellers of the woods from such a advantage, and he could read the signs. His prey had halted and where now watching the Lodge, two for now, but it was an ill omen. His duty was clear and he did nothesitiate, for a moment the thought passed through his mind that perhaps he'd spent to much time at the Lodge. He was starting to act like one of the Students, filled with crazy notions of saving the world... he was a hunter...

Te thought ended as he plunged his sword forward into the guts of one of the observers, and his world turned dark.

In the Lodge activity began to slowly grind to a halt, mages stopped in their lessons, something had changed a stillness had come into the air, the grizzled Weapon-Instructors felt something familar in the air, a sense of death and battle. as a scream of defiance echoed over the Lodge....

Even as the lessons began to halt the doors of the Central structure burst open and the Master strode forward shouting orders, the youngest of the students where bustled into the Lodge, led by scholars, while more experianced Students moved to secure the doors as those instructors trained in the arts of battle spread out about the settlement searching for any threat. Mages began casting spells of true seeing, and joining in the search. Of course all this would take time, and the Master did not wait. Centuaris ago he had given his oath to protect all Tel'Quessir from harm, and something inside him warned him, out there was one of his people was in danger.

Without a second glance to see that his directions where being followed he ran into the woods, blade and spell his only protection.

Hinkon watched with satisfaction as the assailant slumped to the ground, and didn’t even glance at his ‘compatriot,’ instead simply fleecing the dying goa’uld for the other personal cloaking device. They were after all, very valuable objects. He gave the elf a swift kick in the flank, and made off at a run straight for his ship. Doubtless they would have heard the cries, and would be coming after him.

Stealth was no longer required; instead, he needed to get back to the ship as quickly as possible. He would need to take his chances on one of the other settlements immediately if he were to have any realistic chance of getting the ships off the planet. Doubtless the alarm would be raised, and he didn’t trust the cloaks that much, there were ways around its effects.

Sprinting through the forest, he muttered a stream of foul obscenities and picked himself up, limping on a wrenched ankle as fast as he could. He could see the cloak-blurred shapes of the Alkesh up ahead, but was unsure of how far behind his pursuers were. He dashed toward the entrance, and risked a glance behind him.

The Bladesinger ran his legs working hard he felt old for the first time in years, at first he had ran to recover his lost Instructor but he'd found the unciouscious form of the old man, now he was furious and he ran. Cursing under his breath the fates that had led him to be ill prepared this day for an intruder, but he'd had a class later, and his spells where all aimed at instructing the future singers, and not for combat.

There Movement now he was gaining on the distant enenmy but something was wrong something about the mans direction there was nothing out that way, he was heading away from the sea, and teleportation out of the Islands was these days impossible without a Runestone.

Even as the doubts crossed his mind he started to sprint faster.

He was going to be too late, unless a miracle occured he could just make out a shape in the distance a shimmering in the air not unlike a Dimension Door held open, the obvious target of his prey, and as the man turned to look behind him, the Singer was still just over Ten yards away, behind him he could hear more instructors giving chase, but it would be too late... he was going to fail he knew it, he could only prey that his failure would not cost his people.

OOC edit added.

Back at the Lodge the Clerics began to leave looking for their wounded comrade, as was custom on Giltheran the body found beside him was taken in. Later investigation would reveal the Goa'uld parasite. This was not the first encounter between the Giltheran people and the Goa'uld nor would it be the last, and all at the Lodge knew of the curse of the host, to be trapped inside his own mind never able to control his own actions. It was accepted amongest all the clerics of the Seldraine that such cursed individuals be treated with great care and respect. The Host would be buried as a full Tel'Quessir the Parasite burned, destroyed so it's evil could not linger. The Host would be sent to the protection of the Seldarine as an honoured guest at Arvandor until he could be sent to his proper place of rest.

Hinkon flung himself through the door, and shouted at the pilot to take off. The ship shuddered into the air, and the doorway disappeared. Hinkon limped over to the controls, and took over.

It was hard to decide whether or not to turn on them, but in the end, he decided that they could wait. The Alkesh flew toward another of the settlements. It could not be long before the enemy’s space forces were alerted to their presence. He could only hope that the next settlement would prove more useful.

After a time the Alkesh coasted over the other settlement, and Hinkon could see that he would be more successful this time. A smile twisted the assassin’s lips, and he stood up, “Jaffa,” he said, “Kree.”

He walked into the rear compartment, and surveyed the cage the jaffa had erected in this Alkesh, thinking on the contents of the rear compartment of the other ship. Two Ibis Guards hulking a large object between them, and set it in the middle of a set of transporter rings. The top of the device was a dull metallic cover, and Hinkon prised it open.

Thoth was not a god of wisdom as was often claimed, but he was wise enough to know how to derive a suitable agent based on the body chemistry of the target species. Hinkon pressed several buttons under the panel, and a countdown started, flashing lights in a sequence.

The agent was calibrated to, hopefully, cause a drastic reduction in the oxygenation of Tel’Quessir blood, and consequently unconsciousness. Hinkon stepped back, and activated the vessel’s transportation rings, five large rings that would dematerialise the gas canister and rematerialise it beneath the ship.

The Settlement of the Winsome Rose was centered around the worship of Hanali Celanil a Goddess dedicated to Love, Romance Beauty and Art. Stunning well tended Groves where evident all around the immediate area. Places of carefully constructed seclusion, tranquil zones of calm where Lovers could wander for hours away from the prying eyes of strangers. Although the actual clergy of Hanali was small the entire area was dedicated to her worship, for the vast majourity of the local inhabitents she was their patron.

Young Couples feeling the first blooming of lovetraveled from miles around to seek the blessing of Hanali on their hopes. Other couples had came to elope, to seek the Patron of Loves aid in dedicating themselves to each other. In short it was apeaceful serene settlement, a melody of colour, and scents, none of the people in this place could know what was descending upon them...

As the Alkesh passed overhead and the newly synthasised Gas began to permanete the air, the Tel'Quessir started to drop, the isolation and design of the gardens and Groves helping to disguse the spreading unciousness, as gardners fell tending plants, lovers embraced in each others arms fell into a deep sleep, a couple about to be joined never finished the ceremony. Across the area the Goa'uld's attack was succeding, and no resistence seemed forthcoming.

Hinkon watched with satisfaction as the small group of Jaffa fanned out through the alien settlement, carefully spreading out throughout the area and checking the inhabitants before picking them up and moving them back to the two ships. Only one actually had something of suitable importance upon it though. Only one had a stargate.

Hinkon knew that they did not have long to transfer the inhabitants of Winsome Rose to the ships before the locals arrived, and occupied himself with shouting orders to his underlings. About ten of them to find and carry three hundred or so subjects left a long enough delay to make it possible for the raid to be noticed and more importantly countered. What was worse that Lord Thoth's orders were quite specific. Though the majority of the victims were to be moved through the stargate to a planet under the goa'uld lord's domain, one that lacked any name, only notable for being a mostly barren land still fertile enough for one to grow crops on, if not well, that featured the ruins of an ancient city Thoth had investigated, whose high pillars were engraved with the script of the race known as the Gate Builders, some of the victims were to be taken back to him via ship. The encounter with another of this race had convinced him that they were rather devout already, and for this reason, he had decided that their clerics were to be weeded out and imprisoned separately, to keep them from providing leadership, it was a tactic the goa'uld had long used when capturing one another's slave populations.

They made a point of carefully disarming the clerics, and the jaffa obeyed without understanding, the instruction that they were not to directly touch any weapons. They then made a point of removing rings, amulets, and other jewellery, and though a few felt inexplicably well, there were no casualties from this and these items all ended up in a sealed box aboard the first Alkesh - and their owners ended up chained to the cage within it.

However, the goa'uld and their servants were not done yet, and they unleashed a barrage of weapons fire both from the ground and from the air upon anything that looked remotely flammable before leaving, much to the annoyance of Hinkon's professional soul, but still, spite was the way of the goa'uld, and it was the way of their orders. Finally, doubtless too late for a clean getaway, the ships took off once more.

Avter the attack on the Lodge the call went out over Gilthheran invaders seemed present, many wings of Eagles, Griffon and Pegasus where launched. The winsome rose and surronding areas where a part of the Patrol of a small group of Eagle Riders, the scent of the buring Settlement filled the air and the smoke was seen clearly, with a cry of rage the Five giant proud creatures surved to the west and the small town.

Arriving as the Alkesh launched from their raid the riders where furious at what the saw beneath them the devestation, decades of careful tending and care destroyed and gone in moments, sacrilage of a order almost unimaginable. As one they turned on the departing craft. Swooping down on the foe, claws desperatly seeking some sort of hold in the metal, but to seemingly no avail.

As the great beasts failed to gain much hold they broke off a moment wheeling away from any return fire, regrouping a moment, a more careful approach was needed.

Neveral can you hear us, do any still live The almost silent message flittered between the ether, to be whispered to the High Priest.
With an almost silent sob the target stirred inside his prison with the other Clerics. Struggling to reply his mouth dry and with a rising feeling of bile in his chest he whispered back I saw many being taken onboard the other vessel, free them I beg you.

The Five looked at each other in desperation and then a sligt glint of hope entered their eyes, they might be able to help free some of the prisoners although it would mean abandoning the Clerics...

A slight clunk went through the lead Alkesh as the first of the eagles attacked its invisible but quite detectable thanks to air displacement, hull. Hinkon dived to the side a little, hearing another impact from the rear section of the ship. Increasing his acceleration, he turned, hitting the button to decloak the ship.

Seeing the eagle riders, he barely suppressed a cry of "What?" This was particularly insane.

Hinkon rolled the ship to one side as they began regrouping, sending a few bolts of impotent plasma in their direction - Alkesh had never been designed to fight air targets - he dived towards the ground. The goa'uld could not suppress a curse as the jaffa pilot of the other Alkesh decloaked as well. He had hoped to loose their enemies in this ship. The other ship opened fire with its plasma staves, and Hinkon punched a button on the display near the red flight dome, pitching the ship around once more.

The red button began flashing on and off as the Alkesh's bomb bays began to load. Idiots cursed the Ashrak, if they get themselves destroyed for that stupidity, another roll, it's their own fault.

On the far side of the stargate, another dozen of the ubiquitous jaffa, including two of the supposedly elite legion that served as stargate guards on many of Atum's stargates, were careful to catch the elves that were tossed through the gateway. The area they arrived in was in open air, cold air, and their movements would feel slightly less fluid and graceful than normal, as the world had a slightly different and lower gravity.

The stargate was on a raised pedestal, with steps leading up to the front of it, in a forest of square pillars, which stood precariously, whatever structures they had once supported being long gone, leaving only a ruin of stones, engraved with rectangular inscriptions on every intact surface. Moss and grasses grew over everything, though there was not a tree to be seen, and only few bushes.

The Jaffa carried the unconscious elves down the steps, and unceremoniously dropped them onto the ground at the bottom of those steps, far from careful about the possibility of injury from the rock and gravel strewn ground. Overseeing this all was Thoth himself, dressed as immaculately as he always was outside of his library on Per Ankh, festooned with golden jewellery, holding his long black hair back and his regal clothes on his person. Occasionally he would berate the Jaffa over dropping an elf, but other than that, he seemed not to care.

This time only one eagle came in aiming for the craft which seemed to be setting itself up for a bombing run... Strange, still now was the time, on it's back the rider mumbled under his breath and reached down to the Eagle, as he touched the Eagle his blessing was complete.

The Claws of the proud creature seemed to grow longer and sharper, almost metal like in appearance, this time when it came it to strike the departing craft it made much better progress, digging in to the side of the craft around the area that was slowly opening.

The aim of the rider was quickly apparent to force this intruding craft to land, so that a rescue could be launched. It was of course unknown to the Elves that there was no one onboard to rescue the slaves long having been taken through the Stargate, for now the heavy weight and strength of the Eagle pulled against the Alkesh.

Upon the back of the Eagle the rider once more cast, on it's own even a giant eagle was unlikely to have the strength or weight to pull the enenmy craft from the air, but the Druid on the creatures back hoped to change that, after all a Giant Eagle was still an animal and animal's where his domain. He planned on making the Eagle larger and stronger....

"They are impossible," Hinkon muttered. He swept the lead Al'kesh toward the other, which rolled on its side as the - birds! birds! - savaged its hull. He watched with satisfaction as the bomb bay armed, and tried to pull the lead bomber in against the bird clinging to the vulnerable fore section of the second bomber, attempting to butt it with one of the corners of the ship. On the underside of the ship twin weapons swivelled toward their targets. Not toward the eagles. Toward the other ship.

They let loose their bolts of plasma as Hinkon tried to attack the eagle and its druid.

As the two craft defended themselves the Eagle was caught inbetween unable to escape the damage being done to it grew too great with and one last pull death causing it to lash out without any order or thought. It's Death agonies where hidious but at last it was done, becoming nothing more than Dead weight upon the Alkesh.

Upon the back of the eagle the Druid seemed almost unconcerned by the fact that he was now stuck far above the Earth below, and bound to fall to his death. Turning a moment to look at the other vessel he saluted a moment pattered the back of his deceased ally and lept into the open air below him, his shape twisting and contorting even as he fell, before suddenly taking once more into the air, now shaped himself as an Eagle although one of more normal size and proportions.

The other side of the Stargate

AS they fell through the Stargate to arrive at the other the elves slowly came round to find themselves in a strange alien land, they where prisoners it seemed. Desperatly couples tried to seek each other, if only to look into eyes, a sense of helpless rage filled their hearts as they looked around this cold dead world.

Fear soon came after, and then helplessness as it slowly became apparent none of the Clerics had been brought, they where alone far from home, in the hands ofa palpable evil.

Hinkon watched with morbid interest as the second Al'kesh banked wildly, and managed to, perhaps thankfully for his sanity, miss the sight of the druid falling into his alternate form. The second Al’kesh wheeled to the side, gaping wounds opened up in its hull by the weapons of the first, more precise, but no less incapacitating damage had also been clawed into its forward section by the eagles. Hinkon looked over into the other Al’kesh's cockpit a few dozen meters away, and whipped his vehicle to the side, pushing the bomb-release button.

With a red flash, what appeared to be a fireball shot from the underside of the first Al'kesh, slamming into the second, which promptly detonated in a blast of fire, shrapnel and debris falling from it. Along with two rather innocuous items, a wide ring, and a smaller cylindrical object, both made of a brown stone or perhaps dull metal of some form.

----

Thoth grinned wickedly at the prisoners, "Welcome," he said, stalking in front of the stargate, surrounded by his jaffa, "to your new home. Congratulations!" he said, throwing his arms wide, "on becoming the property of your new god, Atum. Who has provided you with..." he laughed, "stone. And, some more stones."

The goa'uld scientist seemed to take an evil, gloating glee in the sound of his own voice, but at last his wicked smile vanished, "Your new purpose in life is to obey your masters. Serve well, and you may prosper," he looked around for the most defiant looking individual, "serve poorly, and suffer, and you will suffer. Greatly."

Thoth's Prison world

At it's core this group of Tel'Quessir was filled with young lovers, a lot of young men who like almost everywhere, REALLY wanted to impress the woman they loved. Even surronded by the intimidating Jaffa and the horrid world they had stumbled on it wasn't hard to find one of the Tel'Quessir willing to speak up. Milenis was Young, proud and to this day only two things had ever mattered to him, one of which happened to be standing next to him...

'The Only God's we serve are the Seldarine, and we are no one's property yet alone this pretender Atum, we where created free and nothing you can do to us shall last. Arvandor will still take us.' His voice was a mix of False Bravado yet behind it was a small thread of true faith, a true spark of conviction.

Giltheran

As the Alkesh exploded the remaining Eagle's and riders gave a shriek of fury and impotent rage, the cowards as far as they knew had just slain their people. For now the cargo that survived was missed although that would not last. Still there was little the Eagles could do now to stop the fleeing Alkesh, but watch and let it escape, their failure seemed total.

Thoth laughed, he had been hoping for such folly. He pointed toward Milenis and snapped “Jaffa, Kree!” the guards pointed their staves at Milenis and pressed buttons near the base, snapping the heads of the weapons open. Thoth stepped down from the Stargate, “Lesson number one!” he said, taking the staff off one of the guards, and pointing it at Milenis’ leg, just below the knee, he fired, a bolt of golden plasma shooting out of the emitter nozzle.

“You will respect your masters, or suffer.”

It’s time, Hinkon, light years distant, thought, to go. Pitching the Alkesh into a barrel roll to try and avoid any of the others catching it, he punched a sequence of controls, powering the vessel’s hyperdrive. Doubtless there was not that long to go before the rest of the locals arrived, with heavier armament.

A blue white mist tore itself apart, lightning cracking through the air as the hyperspace portal formed in the atmosphere, a highly dubious strategy at any time. The ship bucked and shook but managed, just, to hold together through the violent but local storm created by the hyperjump. With a crack the ship passed through the ‘window’ several minor parts of its drive system overloading, and significant amounts of paint flaking off.

Thoth's World

As the young elf collapsed from the pain to his leg he simply looked upwards at the Jaffa his eyes burning with hate and rage, the others backed away before at last the Girl from before tore forwards too the Elf holding him to her. The others looked on a little lost and afraid but strangely a part of them was defient, it was a small smoldering ember at the moment, but they where not crushed.

Giltheran

As the Ship departed the raging storms buffeted the Eagles, as the air was displaced around them the riders tsruggled to stay on, even as their mounts struggled to stay in control. It was tense and more than once one of the Riders slipped barely holding on.

Later came the clean up, the people of giltheran struggled to come to terms with had occured Three Hundred of their Kin abducted, an entire Settlement wiped from the. It was the Bladesingers that felt it the worst, the Master in his Lodge viewed it as a personal failure he should have stopped the raiders when he had the chance now others had suffered for his failure. His oath lay in tatters and what was worth they had no way of recovering the lost. All they had was the knowledge they where not dead as they originally thought, no bodies had been recovered from the wreckage, and a strange circle of metal, with an equally strange device next to it.

Both of these devices would be packed up and sent to the Tower for study of course, even to the Technically backwards Tel'Varinis it was obvious they where importent, for a start they had survived the crash, intact. It was hoped from this clue a way to eventually retrive the lost would be found.

Thoth closed the staff weapon and smiled, drawing himself up to his full, and rather impressive height. “Of course,” he said, glancing at the burn wound, “I could do something about that, but, as you are far too insolent to deserve such aid,” he tutted as if mortified by the man’s defiance. “But, let it not be said that I am heartless. I’ll point you in the direction of water,” he promptly did so, “food you’ll have to find for yourselves though…”

If there ever was a clichéd villain, Thoth apparently was it. He turned, throwing the staff weapon back to its former wielder, and strode up to the dialling device of the stargate, careful to put his body between it and his unfortunate prisoners as he operated it. He had no intention of them learning how it operated, and less intention of them finding out where he was going – Tartarus, his home.

“I’ll check back and see how you are adjusting to your new home in a while,” he said, glancing over his shoulder and giving a shark-smile.

<snip>


OOCly pokes Lord Atum in reminder of a certain thread he was suposed to start a short while ago.